Resumen

RIQUELME S, Viviana  y  GARCIA B, Cristián. Imaging studies in early diagnosis of childhood leukemia. Rev. chil. radiol. [online]. 2012, vol.18, n.1, pp. 24-29. ISSN 0717-9308.  doi: 10.4067/S0717-93082012000100006.

Leukemia is the most commonly encountered cancer in children under the age of 15 and accounts for approximately 35-40% of all cancers at that age. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of leukemia affecting young children between the ages of 2 and 5 years; it accounts for around 80 % of all childhood leukemia cases. Initial clinical and laboratory findings may be non-specific. Imaging studies in patients with bone pain and extramedullary involvement may provide the clinician with valuable supplementary information when the first symptoms result from tissue infiltration and haematological series show a discrete and asymptomatic involvement. The purpose of this work is to review the initial radiological manifestations of leukemia in children. Given the systemic nature of this disease, the goal is to identify the key elements found in the study of the different affected organs, in order to facilitate an early diagnosis of this condition. Late-stage alterations or treatment complications, such as osteonecrosis, infections by opportunistic pathogens, graft-versus-host disease, etc. -where magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) play a fundamental role- will not be reviewed.

Palabras clave : Child; Imaging; Leukemia; Pediatrics.